1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to couplings for hoses, in particular garden hoses, and a method of manufacture thereof. The couplings, which are provided at one end of the hose, include a tubular sleeve portion of predetermined length to prevent the hose from kinking near the coupling when connected to a faucet.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Conventional garden hoses are usually extruded from rubber or plastic with reinforcing wires inside. At each end of the garden hose, there is provided either a male coupling or a female coupling. The couplings are typically made of a metal, such as brass. The female coupling includes a rotatable cup-like portion that is threaded on the inside, and the male coupling includes an externally threaded part.
The female coupling of the hose is attached to, for example, a water faucet by tightening the rotatable cup-like portion onto a male coupling on the faucet. On the other hand, the male coupling of the hose can be attached to, for example, a spray nozzle or sprinkler by tightening the externally threaded part into a female coupling on the spray nozzle or sprinkler.
There exist presently a number of problems in the garden hoses manufactured by existing technology having metal couplings attached at the ends. For example, the metal couplings are often accidentally crushed or disfigured thereby making connection with another coupling difficult. Metal couplings also corrode over time.
Problems also arise from the manual application of standard brass male or female couplings to a garden hose. The presently existing technology requires securing the coupling to the hose end with the use of a crimping tool. The attachment of the couplings to the hose end by crimping requires that the respective brass couplings include a short brass ferrule which is inserted into the bore of the hose. In the case of the female coupling, the threaded cup-like portion is rotatably mounted on the ferrule; in the case of the male coupling, the externally threaded portion is formed as one piece with the ferrule.
After insertion of the ferrule portion of the coupling into the bore of the hose, a second sleeve portion, also typically made of brass, is positioned on the outside surface of the hose so as to overlie the ferrule portion with the hose in between. The inner ferrule and the outer sleeve are then crimped with any suitable crimping tool whereby the coupling is attached to the hose end.
The crimping method, however, does not always provide a reliable, completely leak-proof connection between the hose end and the coupling; often the hose leaks at the join of the hose and the coupling. Moreover, since the length of the ferrule portion of a typical brass coupling, which is inserted into the bore of the hose, is less than 1", very little support is provided for the end of the hose. Therefore, the hose tends to twist when a person grips it to connect the female coupling to a faucet or the male coupling to a spray nozzle or sprinkler.
Another problem with conventional hoses is that they do not provide any form of stiffening or strain relief formed on the hose adjacent to the coupling to minimize bending and damage to the exterior of the hose when connected to a faucet. Accordingly, when the female coupling is connected to a faucet having its opening in either an upright or a horizontal position, the hose tends to "kink" at the junction of the hose and the female coupling. That is, it bends to the point that water flow is restricted. Moreover, when the hose is repeatedly pulled to the side it weakens and eventually begins to leak.
A related problem is the lack of a handle for gripping the hose near the coupling. When the hose is coupled or decoupled it is necessary to firmly grasp it. Moreover, a handle near the male coupling facilitates gripping the hose when used with a spray nozzle.
As one solution to the problem of kinking, at the female end, which is the end typically attached to a water supply faucet, it is known to supply a separate stiffening attachment that goes around the outside of the hose. At the present time, however, hoses are not manufactured with a stiffener on the hose, but rather the stiffening of the hose is obtained by a later added stiffening attachment. The stiffening attachment is usually inserted over the hose adjacent to the female coupling, and resists the undesired folding and kinking of the hose.
One example of a stiffening attachment is a metal spring that goes around the outside of the hose and is brought up to the coupling where it is lodged. This approach requires either the manufacture or purchase of the spring and its installation. Another design of a stiffening attachment is a separate plastic sleeve which is separately molded and then is applied onto the end of the hose. This plastic sleeve typically has an internal collar formed on the end which faces towards the coupling for gripping onto the coupling, but is removable by pulling on the sleeve.
It is also known to provide plastic sleeve stiffening attachments at both the female coupling end and the male coupling end of the hose. Usually, the male end is where the outlet for the water from the faucet is attached and the plastic stiffening attachment therefore serves the purpose of a handle for the user to grip the hose by.
These prior art stiffening attachments, however, do not completely solve the aforementioned problems with conventional garden hoses. Moreover, it is necessary to obtain the stiffening attachments separately and then install them on the hose.
Another solution to some of the aforementioned problems in conventional garden hoses is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,181,750. Male and female couplings are provided with a strain relief handle; the couplings include an internal projection portion, which is sized to fit in the bore of a hose, and are attached to the hose end by chemically bonding the internal projection portion to the hose whereby the strain relief portion encircles the hose adjacent to the coupling. However, there the couplings and the strain relief portion must be provided with specific shapes and chemically bonded to the hose, which is a complicated process.